


Desert Spell

by quiet_one



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Angst, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-14
Updated: 2012-07-14
Packaged: 2017-11-09 22:37:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/459258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet_one/pseuds/quiet_one
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Quick Shrios drabble for Shrios Saturday over on Tumblr</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desert Spell

**Author's Note:**

> Characters are all BioWares, all magnificent editing done by Maddie

There was something about the desert that made Shepard act like a child. She’d never seen anywhere like it on earth or anywhere else and it showed in the way she dashed from place to place, squealing with excitement and shouting Thane over at every little thing she found.

They’d gone to visit the fabled Narith Desert on a whim. Shepard had noticed it on the star map and found herself unable to resist the chance of seeing somewhere Thane seemed so keen to visit. 

He said very little, staring out over the landscape and soaking up the delicious heat that seeped into his bones and gave him his breath back. Had he been given a chance, he would have settled somewhere like this, choosing one of the broad white houses that fringed the market town on Desar where they’d landed. 

He couldn’t help but look longingly at the houses and the life they contained, fragrant plants lining the balcony’s and brightly coloured clothes blowing in the scented breeze that wrapped around him. For once, he wasn’t lost in memories, but instead in the idea of living there with the scampering creature that circled him, her face flushed with excitement.  
He knew how much Shepard hated the cold and this place was perfect for her. She could discard her bulky knitwear and buy the bright floral dresses he’d seen her coveting as they passed through the market, a world away from her black armour. 

In the morning, they could sit out on the balcony and drink tea together before spending a day doing whatever they wished. There was a busy spaceport with links all over the planet, perhaps they could visit the sea and go swimming. He hadn’t seen Cora swim and he realised that he had no idea if she even could.

Learning to swim had been an essential skill on Kahje when you were surrounded by water. Though the surface of earth was mostly water, he doubted Cora would have seen much of it in London.

“Siha?”

Cora turned at the sound of his voice, standing up and walking slowly towards him. She had to squint to see him, emerald green against the stark white of the desert and shimmering in the heat. He looked ferociously beautiful there in this far desert land, not unlike his homeland from what she’d seen, and it made her ache with longing for the life they couldn’t have. 

What wouldn’t she give to stay here with him and pretend none of it was happening, to spend her every waking second at his side, and her sleep pressed against him, sighing quietly into the warm darkness. 

She crossed the last metre with a sudden bound, propelling herself into his arms with unrestrained force and crushing her lips against his. Simply being here with him wasn’t enough; she wanted his mouth on hers, his hands on her skin and all the things she wanted to keep forever in her memory, bright comfort for those dark nights that were sure to come.

He responded in kind, dipping his tongue in her mouth and holding her there until they were both shivering with desire and breathless beneath the watching sun.

Cora finally broke the kiss, reaching up to touch his brow and licking her lips as she did so, his taste lingering there. “You were going to ask me something?”

“Yes.” Thane touched his fingertips to her lips, tracing their outline before speaking again. “Are you able to swim?”

“Swim? I…” Cora started to laugh, giggling at the thought of the swimming she’d done with the Alliance. She swam like she was drowning. “I learnt to swim during my training but…” She shrugged. “It wasn’t what I would call swimming for fun.”

“Then perhaps we could visit the Desar Ocean the next time we are here,” murmured Thane, taking Cora’s hands and holding them to his mouth, trying not to look at her face for fear of what he would see there. 

The next time they were there. It was never going to happen and they both knew it, but admitting as much seemed almost incomprehensible. Here in the sunshine she could almost believe that they had some kind of future together beyond death and despair. Anything else was too much to think about. They would never swim together; they’d never have a home together. 

Cora would never have any of the things she longed for and it broke her heart, tears threatening to spill down her face. All they had was right now and she could not bring herself to break the spell that bound them there.

“Yes, I’d love to,” Cora whispered, swallowing back her grief. “Shall we?” She beckoned at the path that wound before them, twisting away through the looming trees and hiding the path from view.

“Of course, Siha. Take me where you will”.

And he took her hand, allowing her to lead him through the trees and into the shade, following wherever she led.


End file.
